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Delta
Theta of Alpha Phi Chapter History
Sources include the Alpha Phi Quarterly, the Kalamazoo Gazette,
and alumnae recollections.
Alpha
Phi Fraternity to Colonize at WMU
44
WMU Coeds Become Pledges of Alpha Phi
WMU
Sororities to Compete in Annual ‘Sing
To
Install Alpha Phi Chapter This Weekend at Western (Dec. 8-9,
1962)
Plan
Fraternity-Sorority Village
Alpha
Phi Sorority Breaks Ground for new $350,000 Chapter House
(1967-68)
Alpha
Phi Fraternity to Colonize at WMU
The first recruitment for the Delta Theta colony of Alpha
Phi began October 16, 1961. Kalamazoo alumnae in charge of
colonization are Mrs. Richard Staebler, general chairman;
Mrs. Ned MacWilliams and Mrs. James P. White, rushing chairmen;
Mrs. Richard Klein, chapter advisor; Mrs. Gerald Stifler,
pledge chairman; Mrs. Richard L. Servis, scholarship chairman;
and Mrs. Wendell Locke, standards chairman. National officers
assisting with the colonization are Mrs. Alfred B. Meeg, director
of extension, and Miss Doris R. Corbett, executive secretary-treasurer.
At
the time of Alpha Phi’s colonization, Phi Mu was also
a colony. Other women’s fraternities already established
were Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Omicron Pi, Alpha Sigma Alpha,
Delta Zeta, Sigma Kappa, and Sigma Sigma Sigma. At this time,
none of the sororities had chapter houses.
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44
WMU Coeds Become Pledges of Alpha Phi
Following several rush parties, 44 girls have been pledged
to the Delta Theta colony of Alpha Phi at Western Michigan
University. The colony will become Alpha Phi’s 80th
collegiate chapter in the fall of 1962. New pledges include
the following: Nancy Fradenburgh, Julie Peelen, Barbara Bailey,
Mimi Pilditch, Carol Fronk, Nancy Maul, Nancy Grimm, Becky
Jones, Annette Lefbom, Jean Soderman, Saundra Bailey, Judy
Clark, Eleanor Martin, Tenna Clark, Frances Davis, Phyllis
Hadrill, Marlene Hammond, Linda Henry, Mary Ellen Howard,
Karen Hunt, Pat Irvin, Thirza MacKinnon, Jean McCreadle, Pat
Manning, Carol Moeller, Pat Monohan, Marianne Weemhoff, Mary
Moore, Judy Morgan, Carol Proctor, Gail Rypkema, Gretchen
Schuur, Chris Stuart, Linda Whims, Sara Smith, Sue Smith,
Barbara Stevens, Nancy Taylor, Pat Terpstra, Shanna Thompson,
Elaine VandenBout, Sue Wood, Kathy Vaughn, and Janet Worden.
The pledge party was held in the home of Mrs. Richard Staebler.
In the spring of 1963, an additional 24 girls were pledged.
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WMU
Sororities to Compete in Annual ‘Sing’
Sigma Alpha Iota, professional music fraternity for women,
will present it’s 10th annual WMU Sorority Sing on Friday
evening, (April 1962) in the university fieldhouse. Ten social
sororities will compete on the basis of showmanship, quality,
blend, costumes, and originality, with the theme being “Broadway
in Review,” and numbers to come from such Broadway musicals
as “Gigi,” “Porgy and Bess,” “Li’l
Abner,” “Flower Drum Song,” “Sound
of Music,” “South Pacific,” “Girl
Crazy,” “The Unsinkable Molly Brown,” and
“Annie Get Your Gun.” Sororities planning to participate
are Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Omicron Pi, Alpha Sigma Alpha,
Chi Omega, Delta Pi Colony of Phi Mu, Delta Theta Colony of
Alpha Phi, Delta Sigma Theta, Delta Zeta, Sigma Kappa, and
Sigma Sigma Sigma. Alpha Phi took third place.
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To Install Alpha Phi Chapter This Weekend
at Western (Dec. 8-9, 1962)
Mrs. Alfred B. Meeg, past international director of extension
will present a charter establishing the Delta Theta Chapter
of Alpha Phi Fraternity Sunday afternoon at Western Michigan
University. The chapter will be formally installed at private
ceremonies to be held at 2 p.m. at the WMU Student Center.
Initiation for the 43 members of the new chapter will be held
at the Alpha Phi chapter house at the University of Michigan
in Ann Arbor. Conducting the initiation will be collegiate
members of the Alpha Phi chapters at the University of Michigan,
Michigan State University, and Adrian College. An installation
banquet will be held Saturday evening at the Southgate Inn.
Toastmistress for the event will be Mrs. Fred Davis. Following
the formal installation on Sunday will be a reception for
faculty, students, townspeople, and friends at the WMU Student
Center. Local alumnae who are making arrangements for the
weekend are Mrs. Richard Staebler and Mrs. James P. White,
installation committee; Dr. Frances Noble, invitations; Mrs.
Wesley R. Knapper and Mrs. Thomas I. Wood, banquet committee;
Mrs. Richard Servis and Mrs. Gerald Stifler, reception committee;
and Mrs. Ned MacWilliams, publicity. Dr. Myrtle Bienhaver,
Western Michigan University, will also be initiated as an
alumnae member. Full-time enrollment at WMU was 11,000 in
1962.
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Plan
Fraternity-Sorority Village
The original plan for Fraternity Village Drive included a
25-acre tract of land in southwestern Kalamazoo. They envisioned
a million-dollar-plus development of fraternity and sorority
houses in a setting of rolling hills, expansive lawns, winding
driveways, tennis courts, and a swimming pool. As of March
1961, the plans were in the preliminary stage. Plans called
for organizing the Fraternity Title Holding Corp. The Delta
Chi Fraternity was heading the plans at this time. It was
estimated that the houses would range in cost from $100,000
to $200,000. There would be room for 15 of them and each acre-or-more
fraternity lot will have space for parking and landscaping.
Plans were approved in October 1963. Construction was scheduled
to begin in late 1964 or early 1965. The original membership
in the Fraternity Title Holding Corp. consisted of nine sororities
and six fraternities. Each group had to pay $1,000 each to
become members of the corporation. The fraternity members
were Delta Upsilon, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Delta Chi, Sigma
Phi Epsilon, Phi Kappa Tau, and Delta Sigma Phi. The sorority
members were Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Phi, Chi Omega, Sigma
Kappa, Sigma Sigma Sigma, Alpha Sigma Delta, Delta Zeta, Alpha
Omicron Pi, and Phi Mu. As of August 1965, Fraternity Village
finally entered the construction phase.
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Alpha
Phi Sorority Breaks Ground for new $350,000 Chapter House
(1967-68)
The second structure to go up in Western Michigan University’s
Fraternity Village will be another sorority house. Barbara
Penney, chapter president, did the honors. Construction by
Morren-Stifler Co. was scheduled to begin on Dec. 1, 1967.
To be built for 48 girls, the two-story house will cost about
$350,000. An Aug. 1, 1968, completion date is predicted. The
structure was designed by F.L. Randle & Associates Architects.
Earlier,
Sigma Sigma Sigma held its groundbreaking ceremony Nov. 5.
Sigma Kappa Sorority broke ground for its house during the
prior year but was unable to build immediately because of
unapproved plat plans.
As
of 1972, there were four houses constructed on Fraternity
Village Drive: Alpha Phi, Alpha Chi Omega, Sigma Sigma Sigma,
and Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
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